Cherryholmes, Carthy, and McGoldrick

There's a peculiar feeling of uneasiness in the VIP tent when you're almost rubbing shoulders with Mark Radcliffe and a few of the Levellers and was that really Kate Rusby sitting outside? You don't want to stand and stare, but then it hardly feels right to go up and introduce yourself and shake hands, profusely. It's Mark Radcliffe! Him off the telly/radio! And he's using that voice of his!

A well-stocked afternoon of delights, anyway: Cherryholmes, good ole Nashville family bluegrass led by patriarch Jere:

- who invited us to "kindly donate to my favourite charity - me." He was joined by the rest of his family, ma Sandy Lee, girls Cia Leigh and Molly Kate, and straight-cut brothers BJ and Skip on fiddle and guitar (you couldn't make these names up).


They were followed by Eliza Carthy, appearing for the nth time at Cambridge, and once again giving a solid performance.

I say "once again", but I'm not entirely sure I've ever actually seen a full set of hers here before. Either way, she was good, singing Hannon-esque songs of weird love and building up a great rapport with the audience. One of the things I love about Cambridge is how much fun the performers have interacting with the crowd: I've seen too many bands at gigs who just turn up, play their hits in robotic fashion, and then move on to the next city. Not here, where every single performer seems to absolutely relish being at Cambridge, even if it is starting to rain.

Winding up the afternoon was Michael McGoldrick, previously seen as part of Capercaillie, and his band. Decent enough stuff, but as I always say, if you're heard one Celtic folk band, you've heard quite a few.